Motor-truck.



Patented May18, 1915.

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I MOTOR TRUCK. APPLICATION FILED MTV. 2, 1911.

1,139,635. Patented May18,1915.

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' Witnesses a/fium, y &%,MZ4U

F. D. BURBIS.

MOTOR TRUCK.

APPLICATION FILED 110v.2, 1911.

Patented M11y18, 1915. 1

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smarts FRANK DELBERT BURRIS, 0F WAUKEGAN, ILLINOIS.

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To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, FRANK D. BURRIS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Waukegan, in the county ofLake and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Motor-Trucks, of

both of them at one time and in opposite directions, as may be desired.By. this ar-' rangement both wheels may be manipulated when it isnecessary to turn a corner or reverse the truck, and if desirable undersuch circumstances a very short turn can be made. Vfhen the truckis'traveling in a generally straight course the steering apparatuspreferably operates upon the forward traction wheel alone as'it isneither necessary or desirable to use both wheels in steering in suchThe steering gear of my improved motor truck is so constructed that whenthe front wheel alo'neis used in steering, the rear wheel may bedisconnected from the steering apparatus and its fork locked in apredetermined position.

Another object of the invention is to pro vide driving mechanism thatwill permit the traction wheels to be turnedat various anglee withoutinterference.

Another object of the invention is to providea novel arrangement of thewheels of the truck bv means of which it ean'be made to travel easilyover uneven ground/ Slight inequalities in the surface over which thevehicle travels will not throw either of the tractionwheels out ofcontact with the ground. For this reason the driving power is utilizedto the fullest extent.

The invention has for further objects such other new and improvedconstructions in motor driven trucks as will be hereinafter describedand claimed.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, in theaccompanying drawings, Whercin- Figure 1 is a plan view of a. motortruck; Fig. 2, a side elevation thereof; Fig. 3, a

Specification of Letters Patent.

" The truck is Patented May 18, 1%15.

Application filed November 2, 1911. Serial No. 658,268.

rear elevation thereof showing a number of plow shares secured to theunder side of the frame illustrating its use as amotor driven plow. Fig.4, a vertical section on line 44 of Fig.1; Fig. 5, a cross-section online 5- 5 of Fig: l; and Fig. 6, a fragmentary sectional view on line 66of Fig. 1.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several figuresof the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 10 designates the frame of the truck. Theframe is formed at the rear end with a ring 11 in which is fitted amovable ring 12 which latter extends below the ring 11 and is providedwith the sprocket teeth 13. Extending across the ring 12 is an axleshaft 14: on.

which is mounted the preferably broad-tired traction wheel 15. The wheel15 is provided with a fork 19, the ends of which engage the axle shaft14% and which is provided with a stud 2O turning in a bearing in theyoke frame 18 secured to the truck frame 10..

The stud 20 carries a bevel gear 21 which meshes with a bevel pinion 22on the end of a shaft 23 carried in hearings on the yoke frame 18, and abracket 24. The bevel gear 21 also meshes with the beveled portion of acombined b evel and plane pinion 27 which is carried on a shaft 25supported by the fork 19 and a bracket 24. Such an arrangement of thepinions22 and27 permits the turning oft'he Wheel substantially l75 ineither direction from its normal position without the pinion 27 comingin contact with bevelpinion 2:2. The plane portion of pinion 27 mesheswith a gear 28 carried on a shaft 26 which also carries agearQE) meshingwith a gear 17 which is rigi 1y attached'tothe traction wheel 15.

At the forwardend of the truck frame 10 is a stationary ring 11",similar to the ring 11 at the rear of the truck, in which is fitted amovable ring 12. lVithin the ring 12 is mounted a traction wheel 15',the fork of which bears in a yoke frame 18'. The means employed forpivotally mounting the f0rward traction wheel 15- and the train of ,machine.

connected from the motor by means of a clutch 54, 55 of any preferredsort. The shaft 46 carries two sprockets-47, 48. A. link belt 50connects sprocket 47 with a s rocket 52 'on the shaft 23 at the forwarden of the A similar link' belt 51 connects sprocket 48 with a sprocket53 on the shaft 23 at the rear end of the machine.

In the preferred construction of my truck the wheels 15, 15 are out ofline with each other and the truck is provided witha third wheel 57which is much less in diameter than the traction wheels and (havingspecial reference to the useof the truck for a plow carriage) is soarranged as to run on a the truck illustratingits use as a motor Idriven plow for which it is very adaptable.

The description ofthetruck in this connection will be brief as thearrangement and working parts of the plow structure is thesubject-matter described and claimed in my co-pending application SerialNo'.'731,470,

filed November 15, 1912, and will. not be claimed in this application,In this figure of the drawings '1 have shown the truck-car J' ying anumber of plow shares 59 secured to a beam 58 on'the underside of thetruckframe. The rear wheelis' arranged directly behind the outermost ofthe plow shares so as to travel in the furrow made thereby. Theinnermost of the plow shares is located a little to the left of theforward wheel so that the latter may travel in the furrow made by theoutermost of the plow shares in a previous course around the field. Thisarrangement o the plow shares enables the wheels 15, 15"to travel on thesame level while the land side wheel 57 runs on the un plowed land.

The rear end of the truck is'preferably formed with a platform 30 onwhich the person controlling th machine may stand and a steering wheel43is provided, the wheel being carried on a shaft 32 mounted in aframework 31. Shaft 32 carries a sprocket wheel 34 and a chain 42'connects the sprocket 34 with the sprocket 13 on the ring 12 at theforward end of the truck.

Mounted in the framework 31 is a shaft 33 (Fig. '6), which. has looselymounted thereon the pinion 37 which meshes with a pinion 37 rigidlymounted on the shaft 32. The shaft 33 carries a sprocket wheel 35 whichis connected by means of a chain 36 with the sprocket 13 on the ring 12at the vertical axis.

lower end to fit within the ribs 38 on the gear 37 and at its upper endto fit within the ribs 31 on the under side of frame 31. With thelocking block in the position shown in' Fig. 6 the gear 37 is locked tothe shaft 33 and any movement of the steering wheel 43 simultaneouslyturns the traction wheels 15, 15 in opposite directions. Owing tothefact that it is difficult to hold steady the wheels used in steering aheavy vehicle, it is very diflicult to follow a fixed course. Forthisreason my truck is preferably steered, where the course is relativelystraight, by the forward wheel alone, which enables it to mainpossibleif boththe front and rear wheels "were--used--in-steering. However, inorder to do this-the rear wheel must be disconnected. from the steeringapparatus, and is accomplished by raising the locking" block 39 so thatthe gear 37 is freed from engagement with the shaft 33. By means of theengagement of the locking block with the ribs 31 the shaft 33 is lockedand thereby holds the rear wheel against rotation on its When it isdesired to make a short turnthe locking block is lowered so 'as toengage with the ribs 38 on the gear 37, which connects the rear wheelwith the" steering apparatus, then by turning the wheels to the propierangle and applying the power, the truc can make a very short turn. Y

While I have described my invention in a preferred embodiment, it will.be readily understood that modifications might be made tain a muchstraightercourse than would be without departure from the invention.

Therefore I do not limit myself to the particulars described and claimedexcept sofar as they are made specific limitations in certain of theclaims; my intention being to claim, both broadly andnarrowly, whateverpatent-able novelty my invention may possem in view of the state of theart.

I claim: 3

1. In a truck the combination with a truck frame, of a pair of tractionwheels one at.

each end of the frame and out of line with each other, a third wheel outof line with the other two wheels and adapted to run on a higher level.and'means for driving said traction wheels. 4

2. In a truck the combination with atruck frame, of two traction wheels,one ateach end of the frame and mounted in revoluble rings adapted toturn on vertical axes, a third wheel out of line with the other two andmeans for sirnultaneously'driving said traction wheels.

wheels and adapted to run on a higher level, 4

3. In a truck the combination witlrja'trucld '130 In :1. tiliuii thocumbinniion with a truck 'irimm, ii a pair mf-im'im piw'itsrl t0 theflODi; and 1m r end (iii the fixing. so as to stand out (if limwiti:(,iCii Mimi and adapted to tum 01L vm'ticzii axes, traciion wheels insaid i .'-Z.' {ruins of gears 01: the forks adapied. i0 drive saidwheels comprisii in such case, :1 imwi gear G1). the t ip of the. fork,shafts mi Um ii'zinm having mvei gears meshing viii-ii the Emmi gmu's rmthe forks, and means fur i-aii'iiuitnnxrunsiy driving said In ilHCii thecombina'i'i frzune, of :1 pair of revaiuaie; m we at each end of theflan inland with em oiher, traction whee with shafts mounted in said rizgiiging sziiri shafts zidzipiied in 1; s- 'iect 52nd. rings to the,fraz'na 5n 1*. to turn on verbicai axes, trains of g'e an iiie i'furiisatia'ptcii to drive said wheels con'ipiising, in each '0. a i b81 33,gear on ihc u of 5218 forks, s on i110 frame having bei'ei gem-s inef.ing with the bevel guys on "he forks, and ii'wans for sin'iuiianezwisiyill I said shafts.

In t stimony whereof I affix my sigiwziiture, in the pre. lice 0i twoWiiHQSFP FRANK DFLBE.

Witnesses 50in; D. Pom, PAUL liACGUFFIN.

